Jakarta Accommodation Guide

Jakarta Accommodation Guide
Jakarta Accommodation Guide

The complete guide to finding the best hotels in Jakarta. If you want luxury, or you want to save some cash, you will find all the information you need, right here.

This ‘Jakarta Accommodation Guide’ has been designed to provide you with everything you need to know about staying in Indonesia’s Capital City.

Regardless of whether you are an international tourist, domestic tourist, businessman or expat looking for a ‘staycation’, this is your insider guide to finding Jakarta’s best accommodation choices to suit your own individual preferences.

Feel like royalty at Raffles Jakarta. This is one of the top hotels in Jakarta and receives verified guest review scores above 9.3/10 on major accommodation sites.

As well both know, every person likes specific things when it comes to selecting their preferred hotel.

The good news is…Jakarta has something for everyone in terms of accommodation!

A quick search of Jakarta’s hotels on major accommodation booking websites such as Agoda and Booking quickly reveals that there are over 1500 listed places to stay in Jakarta and its surrounding satellite cities.

Yeah, that’s right, over 1500!

If you are trying to figure out where you should stay in such a big city like Jakarta, the task can seem daunting.

This Jakarta accommodation guide helps make your decision much easier, more economical and strategic. In other words, you will be an accommodation expert when you have read this accommodation guide of Jakarta.


 Jakarta Accommodation Overview

Expectations? Types of  Accommodation Choices and What to Expect in Jakarta.

With over 1500 accommodation choices available in Jakarta, the first thing that you have to think about is your accommodation budget and what kind of place do you want to stay at?

Jakarta has everything from very affordable, backpacker oriented guesthouses all the up way up to superb 5-star luxury hotels.  

So let’s first break down what kind of properties are available in Jakarta to see what suits your preferences, starting with 5-Star Hotels.


Jakarta’s 5-Star Hotels

Jakarta has a very healthy selection of 5-star hotels. There are well over fifty different 5-star hotels in Jakarta.

A quick search on Agoda shows that there are about 75 5-star properties in Jakarta. Some of these are luxury hotels, whereas others are apartments with a range of facilities.

When you consider just the 5-star hotels in Jakarta (excluding the apartments), you will notice that even though they are classified as 5-star properties, the range of luxury varies significantly.

Therefore, don’t think that all of Jakarta’s 5-star properties are similar in luxury and value.

Jakarta’s 5-star hotels can be broken down into two major groupings:

1) World-class 5-star hotels with very high standards that are similar to Western 5-star hotels.

2) And…. the rest of the properties.

What to expect at the top 5-star hotels in Jakarta?

Of the 5-star hotels listed on major booking sites approximately only about 15 of them would be considered ‘truly’ luxury properties.

We can call them the ‘top tier’ if you wish.

These properties typically consist of spacious rooms with modern amenities. They tend to have large marble washrooms. These properties also have excellent facilities such as large swimming pools, superb spas (with saunas, hot tubs, etc.) and delicious restaurants.

Free wifi is the norm. Although many of them still may not be able to compete with Western service standards, they do have much better service than other hotels in Jakarta.

The top 5-star hotels in Jakarta also tend to receive the highest guest review scores on sites such as Agoda and Booking.com.

If you are searching and you find the combination of a very positive guest review score and a high price (usually over 1,800,000 IDR per night), you are probably looking at the ‘top tier’ five-star properties in Jakarta.

Top Rated 5-Star Properties in Jakarta

So what are the best, or ‘top tier’ 5-star hotels in Jakarta?

According to Booking.com and Agoda reviews, and a whole pile of personal experience staying at hotels in Jakarta this is a list of the top hotels in the city:

Over the last few years there hasn’t been a 5-star luxury property rated higher on major booking sites than Raffles Jakarta. It is also physically connected to Lotte Shopping Avenue, making it a convenient place to get pampered.
The Fairmont Jakarta is an excellent property that is minutes away from Gelora Bung Karno and Plaza Senayan. It receives scores above 9/10 on major booking sites.
The Mandarin Oriental Jakarta is perfectly located beside Bundaran HI. It has awesome service and one of the best brunches in the city at Lyon. This is a popular ‘staycation’ option for people living in Jakarta as well.
The Ritz-Carlton Pacific Place has amazing service standards. Be prepared to be ‘called by name‘ throughout the entire property. It is ideally located in Pacific Place Mall, and minutes from Istora MRT Station.
As you can see in the photo above, Hotel Kempinski is right beside Bundaran HI and the Selamat Datang Welcome Monument. It has modern rooms and a great spa facility.
Expect super modern rooms at the Keraton in Central Jakarta. This luxury hotel is physically connected to Plaza Indonesia – one of Jakarta’s most popular shopping venues.
The Westin Jakarta is located in the tallest building in Indonesia. Therefore, you can expect world-class views of Jakarta’s skyline from your room. This hotel is very modern and has an excellent breakfast and dinner buffet.
The Dharmawangsa is known for Indonesian style and hospitality. This is a great choice if you want to stay comfortably near Senopati or Blok M.
The Four Seasons Hotel is a beautiful property with modern decor. It overlooks Satriamandala Museum in Kuningan. Expect world-class service standards and cuisine here.
The Hermitage is a colonial-style hotel with some serious charm. This is a unique property that routinely receives high review scores from guests.
The Ritz-Carlton Mega Kuningan is an elegant, classic hotel with some of the best service in the city. Expect personalized check-ins and care throughout your stay. This property has arguably the best pool and gym of any hotel in the city.
The Grand Hyatt may have the best location of any hotel in Jakarta. It is attached to Plaza Indonesia. Directly across from Grand Indonesia and 1 minute from Bundaran HI MRT Station. Notice the Selamat Datang Monument in the picture above!!!
The Shangri-La in Jakarta has awesome recreational facilities. Large outdoor pool, great spa, and a large gym. Expect awesome meals and service here as well.

Jakarta’s 4-Star Hotels

There are well over 150 4-star properties in Jakarta. This includes both hotels and apartments. Lots of selection.

There are some excellent 4-star hotels in Jakarta, but you will have to see how they compare to some of the more affordable 5-star options. It is possible that you might find the highest-rated four-star property in Jakarta and it might be not quite as well rounded as a 5-star property that is on sale.

Therefore, always compare both 4 and 5-star hotels when you want to book a 4-star property in Jakarta.

In general, positively reviewed 4-star properties in Jakarta should have a nice selection of services and facilities. Rooms are smaller than the top 5 star options in the city, however.

Some of the 4-star hotels in Jakarta have a really good buffet breakfasts for the price. In other words, you can get some awesome deals online with breakfast included for well under $100 USD.

What to expect at the top 4-star hotels in Jakarta?

You can expect the top 4-star hotels in Jakarta to have swimming pools, multiple restaurants and spas. Free wifi is the norm. Rooms can be quite small sometimes in comparison to 5-stars, so check the room size before booking.  Extensive buffet breakfasts with both Asian and Western dishes are common. Egg stations, pancakes and waffles are usually available.

As a rule of thumb, if you only book 4-star properties in Jakarta that are rated above 8.3/10 or above on major booking sites such as Agoda and Booking.com (according to verified guest reviews) you should be staying at a respectable place.

Make sure there are over 50 verified guest reviews though! Sometimes the properties with only a few reviews are not very good places to stay. Make sure properties have been around for a while to ‘iron out all their kinks’ before you arrive.

Top Rated 4-Star Properties in Jakarta

So what are the best, or ‘top tier’ 4-star hotels in Jakarta?

Fraser Place Setiabudi Jakarta has large, clean rooms at an affordable rate. A great spot if you want room without breaking the bank.
Kosenda Hotel is ideally located right in the heart of downtown Jakarta. Expect clean affordable rooms and great service here.
The Holiday Inn is a well-managed property that lives up to the strong branding.
This is a great property. Very modern rooms and very affordable. Expect a good breakfast at this property.
Another solid 4-star property that is affordably priced.
The Aloft has a modern design and efficient service.

Overall, the 4-star category for hotels is not quite as good as the 5-star and 3-star categories in Jakarta. As mentioned before, always compare affordable 5-star options with 4-star options before booking. You might be surprised at how many 5-star hotels are similarly priced to 4-star hotels in Jakarta.


Jakarta’s 3-Star Hotels

The collection of 3-star hotels in Jakarta are probably the best ‘bang for your buck’ in the entire city.

Jakarta’s has over 500 properties listed on Agoda for the 3-star category. Many of these are rental apartments. You will notice that many of the rental apartments have much fewer verified guest reviews. Always be careful with this.

Always try to find a property that has over 50 verified guest reviews if possible to make sure it’s safe and well managed.

What to expect at the top 3-star hotels in Jakarta?

Three-star hotels in Jakarta tend to have smaller, more basic rooms than 4 and 5-star properties. The better 3-star properties will still have cable channels, flat-screen televisions, a swimming pool and sometimes, even a small fitness facility (gym). If there is a spa it will be quite basic in comparison to the top 5-star choices.

Finding tennis courts at the 3-star level is very rare in Jakarta.

Some three-star hotels in Jakarta tend to still have buffet breakfasts but they are often basic, with more ‘local’ dishes.

Free wifi is still the norm at 3-star hotels in Jakarta.

Top Rated 3-Star Properties in Jakarta

If you want a safe, clean well managed 3-star hotel in Jakarta then try to find something with a guest review score above 8.3/10 on major accommodation sites such as Agoda and Booking.com.

Try to find places with more than 50 verified guest reviews.

According to these criteria (8.4/10 or over and 50+ reviews) on Agoda, there are seven 3-star properties listed:

There are also many new 3-star hotels that are continuously being built that seem promising as well. Therefore, you can expect this list to drastically change over time!


Frequently Asked Questions about Jakarta Hotels

What is the best area to stay in Jakarta?

This, of course, depends on what you plan on doing while in Jakarta.

If you are sightseeing in central Jakarta, and also doing some shopping then Thamrin and Senayan are both very popular places to stay for both domestic and international tourists.


Staying in Thamrin, Jakarta

The area around Bundaran HI is particularly popular with tourists. If you stay near Bundaran HI you can walk to various hotels such as Hotel Indonesia Kempinski, the Mandarin Oriental, the Grand Hyatt and the Pullman Jakarta in less than 1 minute.

These hotels are also only 1 minute away from Bundaran HI MRT Station (which is set to open March 1st, 2019).

If you stay at one of these hotels you can also walk to Grand Indonesia, Plaza Indonesia and Thamrin City – three very popular malls in central Jakarta. They are literally only a few hundred meters from these hotels.

If you stay at one of these hotels you will be able to conveniently access the KRL Commuter system and the Airport Train as well.

The closest commuter station (Sudirman Station) and the closest KRL Commuter Station (BNI City) are about 800 meters south of Bundaran HI. You can either walk to them from these hotels or take the MRT south (from Bundaran HI MRT Station to Dukuh Atas MRT Station) after March 1st, 2018.


Staying in Senayan, Jakarta

Another convenient area to stay in Jakarta is Senayan.

Senayan is convenient because you can easily access hotels, shopping malls and the business district of Jakarta.

A convenient area to place to stay is close to Senayan MRT Station and Istora MRT Station. These are supposed to open in March 2019.

Some good hotel choices in this area include:

If you stay near either one of these hotels you will be able to walk (or take a short ride) to the following malls:

If you stay in Senayan you will also be able to access the Gelora Bung Karno Athletics Park as well. This is where large international competitions such as the Asian Games have been held.


What are the top 5 hotels in all of Jakarta based on verified guest reviews?

According to Agoda these are the most positively reviewed accommodation choices in all of Jakarta:

  1. Raffles Jakarta 9.3/10
  2. Fairmont Jakarta Hotel 9.1/10
  3. Mandarin Oriental Jakarta 9.1/10
  4. Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Pacific Place 9.1/10
  5. Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta 9.0/10

As you can see Raffles Jakarta is the #1 property in Jakarta. This is consistent with other booking sites such as Booking.com as well.

***All of these properties have at least 50 verified guest reviews.


Which hotel in Jakarta has the best brunch?

Hotel Mulia Senayan Jakarta is known to have the best bunch in all of Jakarta. It is also an excellent place to stay with a rating above 8.5/10 based on verified guest reviews.

Hotel Mulia Senayan Jakarta is known for its Sunday brunch. Both locals and expats in the city go here all the time to sample top-notch dishes.

What kind of security can you expect when you check-in at a 5-star hotel in Jakarta?

You can expect much more security at 5-star hotels than at 3-star hotels in Jakarta.

Typically, when you arrive at a 5-star hotel in Jakarta your vehicle (taxi, Grab, Go-Jek) will be stopped at a checkpoint around 100 meters away from the entrance to the hotel.

The security personnel at the hotel will ask the driver to roll down a few windows so they can check who is inside the vehicle. Then, they will use detectors under the vehicle (and sometimes mirrors as well) to check for bombs, etc.

They will ask your driver to open the back trunk of the vehicle to check what is inside.

When you reach the main entrance of the hotel, expect one of the hotel attendants to grab your bags. They will send them through an x-ray. In most cases, you will also be asked to walk through an x-ray as you enter the hotel.

After your bags have been cleared one of the hotel attendants will usually bring them up to your room.


What are the most popular websites for booking hotel rooms in Jakarta?

Since Jakarta is such a large city (with so many hotels) there are various websites that are quite popular with visitors to the city.

According to many hotels in the city, the three top booking websites in Jakarta (in no specific order) are :

  • Agoda
  • Booking.com
  • Traveloka

Booking.com and Agoda are very popular with foreign tourists visiting Jakarta. Agoda offers more selection than Booking.com, and on average, is a bit cheaper.

Booking.com has very strong branding in North America and Europe, so visitors from there like to stick with their preferred site (even though it always isn’t the cheapest).

Traveloka is by far the most popular accommodation website for Indonesians visiting Jakarta. It has very strong branding in Indonesia.

If you read the reviews (and review scores) on Booking.com and Agoda you might find them more reliable than Traveloka. They have strong international branding so their users tend to be ‘well traveled’ and can draw reliable comparisons to other hotels from around the world.


What are some of the best properties for the cheapest price in Jakarta?

In other words, what are some of the hotel ‘steals’ in Jakarta?

If you are thinking about the 5-star hotels in Jakarta then consider these very well priced properties:

Frasers Residence Menteng Jakarta (8.8/10) for around $80 USD per night with breakfast. Modern, great location with kitchens in rooms.

Hotel Borobudur (8.2/10) for around $85 USD per night with breakfast. This is one of the most famous ‘classic hotels’ in Jakarta. Superb facilities for families. Although a bit dated, this is a steal considering its location near the Monas.

If you are thinking about the 4-star hotels in Jakarta then consider these very well priced properties:

Harris Suites fX Sudirman (8.0/10) for under $80 USD. Ideally located beside the business district. Physically attached to fX Sudirman Mall. About 100 meters from Istora MRT Station.

Kosenda Hotel (8.6/10) for under $70 USD per night. This is one of the most positively reviewed 4-star hotels in Jakarta.

If you are thinking about the 3-star hotels in Jakarta these are some well-priced properties to think about:

Yello Hotel Harmoni (8.9/10). This is a nice modern hotel and it’s the highest rated 3-star hotel in Jakarta. Under $40 USD per night!

ARTOTEL Thamrin – Jakarta (8.2/10). It’s in an excellent location. Well maintained, modern boutique hotel. Nice sky bar on the rooftop. All for under $45 USD.


Jakarta Accommodation Guide: Additional Information

Hopefully, this accommodation guide has provided you with enough information to have a great stay while you’re in Jakarta. The hotel lists included in this article will be updated over time to include any new properties that are receiving positive reviews.

Keep in mind that nobody has paid us to promote their property on this page. These recommendations are based on verified guest review scores on major booking sites and by our personal opinion of staying at many of these hotels over the years.

If you require additional information about where to stay in Jakarta, simply send us an email or message us on our facebook page.

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